Avoid Certain Pitfalls of Roof Insurance Claims

September 21, 2016

It can be quite complicated to deal with roof insurance claims. It is best to check your insurance policy careful and read the fine print prior to the occurrence of a storm or subsequent roof damages. Having a homeowner’s insurance policy can save you money in expensive roof repairs after a natural disaster. It is not the complete cure to such a situation since coverage is specific to certain situations.

Unexpected Expenses

If you want to avoid the unexpected expenses associated with roof insurance claims, it is important to take a note of your insurance policy, first and foremost. You must be aware of any exclusion related to your property insurance policy. Insurance companies will oftentimes exclude specific line items in a homeowner’s insurance policy. There could also be limitations to receiving coverage for certain things. For example, if you were to damage your own roof intentionally, the insurance company would not offer coverage. You would not be successful with your insurance claim in such a case.
The Exclusions

Exclusions are never quite as cut and dry because every provider of homeowner’s insurance has their own guidelines and rules. For that reason, here are some things that you should commonly check for:

Inappropriate maintenance - when you send in an insurance claim, the insurer may perform detailed inspection of the damage by one of its property adjuster. If a determination has been reached that the damage was caused by improper maintenance, you will be liable for replacing or repairing your roof.

Materials – Some policies will never provide coverage for specific roofing materials. This may include recycled shakes, slate, or even green roofing materials. The reason for this is because you may incur additional maintenance costs.

Older roof – The insurer may not feasibly cover roofing that is close to its replacement time and possibly won’t provide coverage to roofs that are more than twenty years old.

Age of Roof

If the insurance company has limitations on the age of your roof, then you should become aware of how it is defined by the insurer. Some homeowners won’t take off the roof and replace it entirely, but will lay another material over the old one. Many insurers don’t acknowledge this as a new roof. The age of the roof is calculated from the original layer and not the top layer. Most insurance companies will not offer insurance for a roof that has more than two roofing material layers.

Do You Replace or Repair?

Another thing to consider is whether to replace or repair your roof. There are cases where the insurance does cover repairs, but not full replacement. Generally, repairs will be covered when shingles come up missing after a strong storm. However, if the storm damage calls for an entire roof replacement, the insurance policy may not offer full coverage.Roof Maintenance

It is important that you maintain your roof, seeing that some insurers won’t offer coverage if you haven’t shown proper maintenance. You should regularly have your roof inspected by roofing professional. Clear your roof of debris and clean the gutters as frequently as possible. Get rid of dead trees that are close to your roof because they may fall onto the roof during a storm.

Is your roofing system in good condition or well maintained? Are you getting ready to file an insurance claim after damage to your roof? Let the Roof Doctor help you. Call us at 303-618-9889 for a free consultation. We will guide you through the insurance claim process.